What Is Halal Duck?

Halal duck is duck meat that is the product of slaughter following correct Islamic ritual. The term halal means “permissible,” and its application is fairly wide-ranging. The opposite is haram, or “prohibited.” Many things in Islamic life are divided based on these two categories, though perhaps none as widely as food, cosmetics, and other aspects of bodily care. In the context of duck and other meat, the halal designation usually concerns how the animal died. Any duck that has been slaughtered according to Islamic laws can be classified as halal. In general the animal must be blessed by the person who killed it, typically a practicing Muslim, and the blood must be drained out of it before it is eaten. There are also rules regarding how it dies, most specifically that its throat must be slit with one swipe of a knife and that its spine must remain in tact. Halal duck can be cooked in many different ways. Cooking must adhere to larger Islamic dietary laws in order to be eaten by faithful Muslims, but even an unacceptable presentation won’t usually change the halal nature of the meat itself.

Islamic religious documents set down rules covering most aspects of adherents’ lives, but food and drink restrictions tend to be some of the best known by those outside the faith. The rules regarding which animals can and cannot be eaten by Muslims can be found in the Qur'an, which is the holy book of the faith. For example, pork is not permitted to be eaten, nor are carnivorous animals. Certain food elements, including lard and animal proteins like casein, aren’t usually allowed either, though certain exceptions may be made if the origin can be certified as halal. The law also states that animals that died of natural causes are not suitable for eating, and blood can’t be consumed at all.

The rules regarding the slaughter of animals are quite specific, and these are typically what set ordinary duck apart from that which is halal. To prepare halal duck, the animal's throat must be slit by a single swipe of a sharp knife, the duck must be blessed by the person who slaughtered it, and it must be hung so that the blood can drain out of it. The person in charge of the slaughter must usually be a Muslim, and must invoke the name of Allah before taking the animal’s life.

Modern food production practices have caused some controversy when it comes to producing and certifying halal meats. Some large food chains have begun producing halal meat so that their products can be eaten by Muslims. Many of the animals that these companies use for halal meat are stunned before having their throats slit, and although this is permissible according to certain halal food authorities, some Muslims disagree. The use of machines to slaughter and produce halal duck and other meats is also controversial for some Muslims but has been deemed acceptable by others.

Most of the time, these practices are undertaken in the name of efficiency, which in turn brings costs down. For the strictest of adherents, though, cost shouldn’t be a factor when it comes to the sacredness of life and the respect with which it must be treated.

Duck that meets halal standards can be cooked in any number of ways. Most of the time its “halal” status can’t be revoked even if the meat is later cooked with haram ingredients, like pork products, alcohol, or certain animal fats or proteins. A Muslim diner may not wish to eat such a meal, but in this case it would be because the cooking was haram — not because the duck wasn’t halal.